THE FORBIDDEN YEARS by WADSWORTH CAMP 3 What wo? Esther whispering that he should lift his band, close his fist, and strike the table heavily? The woman in prison clothes went on, and the light followed, and Bar- j toara couldn’t see anything else at the table distinctly. Essie Holder draw her atten tion again almost immediately. She placed herself in the center of the room, and shouted her falsely ribald voice: ‘On the job Louis! Let's go!” The maitre d'hotcl sprang to a switch, and cveiling lights tore the gloom to pieces. The prison dance stopped, the band ceased its lugubrious sing-song, and Essie went through the uoor, like a c^li door, followed by her sugges tively posturing asistants. The musicians slipped out, re turning one bv one, having removed their piison stripes or uniforms from over their formal clothes. Attendants commenced slowly to roll back the theatrical cloth pointed in Imitation of store and iron, disclosing walls decorated with yellow silk and flashing mirrors. While the transfor mation of the room continued little by little the reassembled band burst into a lively dance, and people crowded to the little flow Rulon stood up. “Think you’d like to if I'm very carclul of your arm?” She nodded and followed him to the floor. They danced laboriously In the thickening crowd. The more the ugly cloth rolled back, uncovering the brilliant walls, the noisier the room be came. Soon the Bars and Stripes would be a night club out of the ordinary only in the extravagant conception of its furnishings. Jacob Man vel’s money! Probably he’d have some moments of dis comfort when he read in the morning of the use to which Essie Helder had put it. Steve, his cane dangling from the crok of his arm, limped through the multitude with Esther. Gray sat alone, and his face was still flushed and angry. Barbara kept look ing at him, wondering what had caused the change, ques tioning why he didn’t cut in at this particular moment. Per haps he had changed his mind. Maybe he didn’t mean to dance with her after all. While she looked and wor ried he sprang up, and with resolute movements forced a path toward her. “Sorry.” he shot at Rulon, and took Barbara’s hand. Rulon surrendered Bar bara reluctantly. She realized his resentment, she appreci ated his groping, suspicious jealousy of Gray. She tried not to look at him when he re turned to their table, but she knew that he glowered at Gray and her. Yes. Something had hap pened to change Gray, for he wouldn’t look at her now, he held her roughly, and his voice was gruff. “Your handsome ham needn’t stand on his ear. I’m only going to dance with you for a minute.” She gazed at him appealing ly, but he wouldn't meet her eyes. “Why. Gray? What's the matter?” “I'm only dancing with you long enough to tell you to get out of this sweet place. What the devil did you come lor anyway?” She stared at him. “You didn't see anything wrong with my being here a few minutes ago.” I His gruffness increased. “Is that any reason why I shouldn’t now? A lot tan hap pen in a few minutes. I tell you to get out.” “You know I can’t, Gray. I came with Rulon, and he’s in a temper because I’m dancing with you.” Her refusal made him more sullen. "What diffeernce does it make to anyone in heaven or earth whether Rulan’s sweet or sour?” "Remember I’ve got to work with him.” “To hell with Rulon! Get out of here.” “Gray you’ve got to tell me what’s wrong. Are you angry with me?” He sneered. “No. With my own dumb self. I’ve made an utter, bray ing, staring donkey of myself again.” “How, dear?” “I guess you wouldn’t call me dear’ if you knew. I can’t tell you now.” “When can you?” “Don’t know. Got to think it out. Got to find a lot more courage than I’m possessed of at present.” Her fear increased. She spoke under her breath. “I saw Esther whispering to you. Did she say anything about me? Is that it?” The sneer came back to his voice. “Esther! She’s my concern now. I’ve a lot to get straight in my mind. I’m off, Barbara, like a shot, out of this filthy place, out of town. I just wanted to tell you first to run out on it yourself.” “I tell you I can’t.” She asked tremulously: “Do you mean our bargain’s ended?” “Wouldn’t be surprised. Oh, God, what an ass I’ve made of myself again!” He stooped and surrepti tiously put his lips to her hair. To her it seemed a gesture of farewell. “Good-bye. ir you cion t want to go I can’t make you.” But he had released her, and was threading a way among the tables to the stairs. She stood as hurt and stunned as If he had struck her. Half blindly she went back to Rulon. In passing a group of dancers she heard Steve’s voice. “The ruffian flees without a good-night.” Esther’s reply seemed flatly satisfied. “He’s in one of his foul hu mors. Let him go.” Rulon greeted Barbara sus piciously. "That was pretty cool. Hadn’t been on the floor two minutes. Why did he drop you like a hot potato?” “He had to go.” Rulon’s frown deepened. “I don’t pretend to under stand. but I do know I don’t like the way that man looks at you.” Still dazed from Gray’s de parture, she sat down and saw that supper had been brought. A waiter removed the grilled lantern from the table, and set in its place a lamp with a shimmering yellow shade. All over the room the flowerlike lamps were replacing the dim. ugly lanterns. In a few minutes the last trace of Es sie's drab prelude would have vanished. Of the wall decorations only the panel in which the cell door used by the performers was centered remained, and two men were there now. making prepara tions for rolling it aside. The more Barbara reflected on Gray’s manner and words the greater her bewilderment grew. Why should he have so anxious for her to leave even at the cost of offending Rulon? And he hadn’t said when she would see him or hear from him again. Perhaps he didn’t mean to see her again. Esther had whispered something, and the change had occured, and Gray had in dicated that their bargain was ended. Rulon bent closer. “What was Manvel talking about?” “Oh, what do people usually talk about when they dance?” “But he seemed In a huff.” She didn’t answer. It came upon her that she must obey Gray unquestionably. “Charles, I’m dene.” She touched her injured arm. “You’ve got to let me go home.” She could understand his incredulity as sarcastically he indicated the supper. “Certainly you’re not leav ing without eating this.” There was no way out. She had to make a pretense of en joying his supper, but she would obey Gray immediately after. Opposite, Essie’s last prison panel was disappearing. Rulon’s voice was troubled. “If you want to make me happy you’ll tell me I’m an over-sensative idiot.” She tried to smile. “I can’t truthfully tell you that, Charles.” His hand moved steadily to hers. “Because I’ve an idea you haven’t cared much about be ing with me lately.” She couldn’t hold him off any longer. He was going to ask for the truth now, and he must have it. Then the sooner it was done the soner she would be able to obey Gray. “At least we can call that over-sensitive.” His fingers tightened on hers. “I think I’ve loved you ever since the first day I saw you in Hackey’s office.” She faced the specter she had watched taking shape for so long. Affrightedly she heard his throaty, desirous voice. “You and I together can lay New York by the heels. There’s nothing in the world I won't do to make you great, and at the same time I’ll take you on a tour of Paradise.” Bribes, always bribes! ms hand pressed hers nervotlsly. “Why don’t you look at me, Barbara? Look at me, dear; say something.” She tried to shake off the cold fear which the specter had bound her. “Please don’t let’s talk about it to-night, Charles.” “Yes. Now. I’ve had about all the suspense I want. With out knowing how I stand I can’t go on watching your whispering with men like Manvel. That’s a tricky busi ness for a girl in your position. Either you love or you don’t, and you can tell me now as well as another time.” She looked up, and her eyes were misty. “I’m sorry, Charles; dread fully sorry.” Behind Ills disappointment she saw his temper gathering. “I’m not asking miracles. ; All I’m asking to-night is that you tell me there’s no other man, and that some day you may give me my way.” As she had told Ifackey, she couldn’t be dishonest and cruel enough to let him go on dwell ing with the inconceivable. “Charles, if I could only change gratitude into love I’d do it with all my heart; and I am grateful, more so than I can ever tell you. I know what you’ve done for me. Forgive me, Charles, but I just don’t care for you in the way you want. Can you go on being my very dear friend?” He laughed bitterly. His temper was in full view now. “You're right. I've done enough for you. Damn it I made you. and this is what you give me back bang in the face.” His monstrous egoism, and what he had just said, de ' stroyed the pity that had made her seek to put the crisis off. His rage grew', and she wouldn’t look at it. Beyond him she saw the last of the theatrical cloth disappear while attendants drew rich yellow curtains across the per formers’ entrance. She started to rise, but his passionate ges ture held her. “You sit still until I tell you one or two things, Miss Grate ful. I’ve given you your chance in the theater. I’ve begged you to marry me. I’ve offered to devote my life to you and your career, and you give me back gratitude, and I don’t want it, because I don’t believe a wo man like you has got one ounce of it in her whole crooked system. I’ll offer you one last thing, a little advice. Manvey is engaged to Miss Holder, but he’s rich enough to keep two establishments. Gad! You make me sick!” “Stop, Charles. You’ll be sorry—” “Me sorry? Not a chance. This is my advice: Collect all the jewelry, automobiles, and clothes you can while the picking’s good. Those men soon tire of their sweeties..” She sprang up, as furious as he. “You never speak to me again.” He rose, glaring all his tem per at her. “You bet I won’t, not even on the stage. Get that through your head. I made you and I'll break you. I’ll let you go about your other career with an individual mind. Run along and buy your pretty trinkets with your pretty face. It’s so great compliment to say you’re probably a lot better at that job than acting.” Staggered, she sought some means of defending herself and punishing him. The music halted in the middle of a bar, and a sigh like a sudden soft breeze, stirred among the tables and across the packed floor. The yellow curtains that had been drawn in front of the performers’ entrance slowly parted, and the blatant ray of a powerful spotlight darted at the opening and rested there. Rulon and his attack faded; Barbara suffered from a sting ing at her eyes, a choking in her throat; for the blazing light had shown her white and blue decorations strewn upon the saffron silk of the curtains, significant patches that took the shape inevitably in her mind of white and blue herons; those gay figures that had wavered torturingly across her mind ever since she could remember. The band commenced to play again, and a vision stepped through the opening. Barbara believed it must be a vision, because a little while ! ago the woman, Essie Helder, j had been ancient, haggard, repulsive. The curtains fell behind the vision, and Barbara placed her hands on the table’s edge, bracing herself. Her throat was tighter, but her eyes were crystal clear from the pro longed exercise of her memory. In the midst of the blaze of light, sketched brilliantly against saffron draperies with white and blue herons, was her mother’s lovely shape, clothed in creamy silk and lace, and crowned with the heavy gold of her hair. TO BE CONTINUED SO BRING ON FREE .SILVER. Ideals we held short yearn ago And rated them absurd. Viewed in the light of present days. Now rate a better word. We turn them o’er, this way and that. View them in retrospect. To then decide who hc’ds with them. Is him we should elect. So if you’d win today’s acclr.im, 'Mong yesterday's taboos, If you but search you'll surely find A plan that you can use. —3am Page -- - PLANTS 1.125.000 TREES Harrisburg. Pa.—iUP>—State for r.iters will plant 1.125,00 forest trees seedlings in Pennsylvania this year. The specks include white and red pine, larch, blaci: walnut, Norway tpruce and Scotch pine. D1I. LONGS DISCOVERY Ledger Philadelphia Nlnty years ago Dr. Crav.ford \V Long, a graduate of medical schorl of the University of Pennsylvania, administered ether to a patient in Jefferson. Ga . fiom whom he re moved a wen without pain. This way the first time that an anesthetic »a« used in a surgical operation. But It was not until alter ether. Independently discovered by Dr William T. Cl. Morton, was ■aed In an operation by Lir. J. C. Warren in th« Massachusetts Gen era; Uuauital In Boston cn October 16. 1U46. that knowledge of the possibility of painless operations be came generally known to the med ical profession. October 1U la ob served at the Boston hosp tal evely year as Ether Day. Dr. Long's claims to priority were cot establialted until 1677. But it la r.ow recognised. Ocorgta has set if* a statue of hlui m Statuary Hall in the National Capitol as one o* Us most distinguished citizen*, and 30 years ago a tshift to his memory was unveiled In tns mevli cal school of the unirermly. There la enough glory far bo: i Dr. Long and Dr. Morton, for what they each discovered has made pos sible an advance in suigery and the ielief of much suffering which would otherwise had to ho endured. One has only to listen to the tra ditions current In the old hospital* to appreciate the amount of atony which has been eased by aucJtbtU.». o • THEBE'S % DIITEBENTR. F.um tin Cincinnati K »s< ness, but we can not hope to get top prices till the poultry and eggs are more uniform. As I see it. we have got to specialize in breed. I am hoping to help start a cam paign in at least two comm,-"it''i In my county to adopt two breeds White Leghorns and one heavy breed — probablv White Wyan dotte or White Rock.” One hatch eryman said. “We are reducing the number of breeds from which we offer baby chicks each year. I hope to be down to three within three years. My ideal would be White Leghorn. White Rock and White Wyandotte.” A vocational agricul tural teacher who is really close to the farm folks in the consolidated district where he teaches says, ‘The hatcheries have done much to make people realize that there Is no one best breed of chickens Ten years ago half the farm flock owners were ‘dead sure’ their breed was the best in the world. The less common the breed they kept, the more sure the owner was of its superiority. “This attitude Is no longer present. Nearly all recog nize that each of the popular breeds has certain things to rec ommend it. They also realize that within each breed is wide variation in the things that really count— rigor, quick maturity, freedom or presence of disease, and egg pro ffering abilitv. The time is ripe to get communities to specialize on certain breeds. I hope to do some thing in our community this year. I am planning on a campaign to zet as many as possible of heavy flo.’k owners to shift lo one white breed next spring. I have always been a Barred Rock enthusiast but the white breeds have an advantage that, from the long-time point of view, we connot afford to overlook. Wiih uniformity in color taken care st as we would have with a white breed, a community and its breeders and hatcherymen can concentrate on size of eggs, quick mu.urity, v’gor and desirable size and shape if fowl without the matter of color and markings complicating the pro blem of making poultry more pro profitable.” A specialty breeder who dropped Into the office to talk about cross-breeding and sex ling age drifted into a discussion of ahift in breed Interest. He said, “I used to have a pretty good de mand for all the six breeds of heavy chickens and Brown and Huff Leghorns I kept. I only hart one white breed—Wyandottes. I am now down to two heavy breeds. Reds and Wyandottes, and am thinking of dropping the Reds • my strain has wonderful color but is hard to raise*. I believe from the viewpoint of profit that we will have to go into one heavy breed — maybe Reds In one community, White Wyandottes in another. White Rocks in another. Buff Or pingtons in another and Laired Rocks in another. Of course, we will still have White Leghorns. And if cross-breeding pans one we may have a hatchery, a rroduce house and a community specializing in some sex-linked cress. With the east and west coast specializing in cm tain breeds, we will have to do the same or lose cur. Of course it means the end of breeders like myself but we are about done any way.” Which community will be tV.t first to definitely and systp.n n* rally specialize in one American breed? Of course, those who find the Leghorns best adapted to their farm and plans, need not be dis turbed. But among the non-Leg horn flocks, why not choose one breed and get as high a per cent as possible to raise that kind in 1932? • • REGULARITY PAYS Dairyman who milk their cow1; three times a day, at eight-hour in tervals have asked: “Will it affect production If I milk at it regular hours, say at intervals of six, seven and eleven hours? When one milks at right-hour intervals, his rest periods are shortrned, especially if milking is done laie in the even ing.” Experimenters of tlv United States department o' agriculture found that cow« gave 2.0 per cent less milk and 28 per cent css out trrfat when the mtlkin ’ war done at unequal In'ervals. This ex;>*>:i ment Indicates that three-tim" nulktng Intervals Is preferable but ! that there is no great loss by milk ing at unequal intervals for shore periods of time, irregularity iu [ milking cows twi$e a day resulted ; in a slight redu .tion ir. milk yield and a slight increase tn butterfat y’eld with cows of average to good production. Sin:e irregular milking usually means that the cows ara also fed irregularly, some testing was done along this line. Irregular feeding is much more detrimental to iniik production than irregular milking: regular milking and feed in* resulted in the production of 3 9 per cent more milk and 5.2 per cent more butterfat than did irreg ular milking and feeding. BANKING *FERTIIJTY Good farmers are always building up their soils but in times of low prices it is especially desirable, wher ever possible, to increase the acreage m legumes and pasture erops.These may be grown with low cost for la b( i and will return organic matter to the soil which will bring higher | yield of cereal crops when prices . arc better. The higher cost of seed for legume and grass crops makes it important that die.y be given the right start. Most ne,v seedlings lari because of their inability to get either sufficient plant food or mois ture. For that reason a field should be free from weeds r.nd worked to advantage by the field cultivator with spiing tooth attachments. Broad casting small high priced seed liko alfalfa and clover is wasteful and fully one-half may be saved by us ing a drill with a grass seed attach ment. The rotary hoe with grass seed attachment is popular for seed ing land alreadv sown to grain m the fall and a like attachment may also be mounted on a soil pulvei l?er where the mrnd grain is broad casted in the spring. This latter tool where used after planting as sures that the maximum amount of moisture is made available for the? new seeding right at the start. Far mers using soil pulverizers who alsa give attention to the plant food re quirements of alfalfa or clover, sel dom if ever report a seeding failure. The pulverizer is also a vauiablo tool for going over fall sown wheat where the soil has heaved, due to alternate freezing and thawing or where sweet clover has been broad casted during the late winter Seed men report that a larger acreage of soy beans will oe sown in certain sec tions this year, due to the low price cf seed. This will be drilled and where needed on live stock farms v ill be rut for liny. On othe • farms, tfjpy sav it wall be combined in tho fall if the price is good or, if not, turned under as u green maniuu crop. ■--*4--— A DAIRY DECALOGUE 1. Thy cow stables and oorrala shall be kept clean, and bad odors shall not persist therein, so that the milk Inspector shall say to the neighbors, "Surely, this man is a dairyman.” 2. Thy manservant shall be healthy and shall be clean in! all respects and his hands shall' b^ar witness concerning his work. Yea, cleanlines is next to godli ness. 3. The milk thou scllest shall be cooled at once alter it is drawn from (he cow. 4. Thou shalt keep thy plant clean in all respects: the ceiling, walls, and floors shall bear, testimony concerning thy work. 5. Thv product shall be fresh and1 well flavored. Verily, age is to ba respected, but old milk will not be tolerated. 6. Daily thou shall labor washing and sterilizing thy uten sils and eciuipment so that' is may, he said, this man is worthy of h1a hire. 7. Use tl»ie own milk holt,lea and cans, lest man rise up against' thee and say, “Thou thief.” 8. Pas-l teurize properly all milk purchased from other dairymen because thou dost not know what care has been taken in producing it. 9. Thou shalt' not sell dirty milk nor milk that has been produced in an unclean place. Dirt shall be kept out of milk, not strained out. Yea, dirt in milk is an abomination to mankind. 10. Thou shalt not water thy milk but shall sell a good clean, well flavored, healthful product which shall cause thy customers to risa as one and bless thee. —♦ — MUH11IVU HtllUUUU'OOT Do concrete floors cause bumble foot or make the hens go lame ? haa been asked many times each year. This question can be answered with a direct and unqualified "No" and yet it is not an uncommon thing lor folks who have never had in juries to the feet in their laying flock before, to have this occur when a new or remedied or im proved house is used. Eehind theso Injuries, often resulting In humble - foot, are two factors. Improved houses, with concrete or floors than earth, usually are found with an up to-date set of roosts. Such roosts are level or nearly so. instead of the old plan of lowest bein': a foot; ot two from the around and In creasingly higher as one goes bark Getting down from such roosts was a stair-step iob. with no great jump from the lowest to the floor. We know the np-.v IcvpI rccst.s aie much better but a lump of three or four feet to the floor isn't good, espec ially for the leas and feet of heavy hens. This is especially bad when little or no lifter is found where the liens land. Somehow, sloping wilks down from the roosts don't appeal to the hens. Few, if any, use them But I have found a step • a 2x4 is idpali n foot In front, nf the ro<*,ts and about half-wtv to th» floor is generally used by our White Rocks. • • — GOOD FARSI PI AN .A live at-horn' p roe am for 13.111 has b"en adorned by Alabama farm ers. The.'* diversified farming plan tneh'des "a good garden at lrnst cue good milk cow prooerlv fed end managed, a flock of hens enough boas for meat, more fruit, aofft rieut ferd r-ops end pastor's." YOUR DE \I.ER A\l> YOU I am your dealer—and I’ve got a lot of problem* o' my own 10 meet and overcome. Good time* ; i vsu are good time* to me. I \ :talty mteieaied In iMj *«u ei ti ptwapciuy — and Uuw to omitf • 110* Uli tv Alim vou study the re|Mu ot to** immeal and atate uurtAU% - and •mu you '.celt aio nd . ju *• * note *i.» ou.jijnuuu Iasi li uallv proapeioua farms ate *o • i ant.'d as to aeuire u»j.xunuai horn are./ adigle &;•*. Ut t***1?1 v.ordv—:!i*y at* pluiu-d ro- divm.i tied lnn-A»ed *«l \ ana uw ptoyn rotation «f woo* one* ilocUs As a result—their nwn-rs t«-ofit gre.tly during gixo' times — rnd find hard times not so hard. Sow. here's the point: In addition ’ . good fMtcmg and ds i «—|s sotn-.hmi for tn*h 'ul i<-~